Museum De Fundatie buys two works of HKU alumni

Addinda de Kousemaeker and Cheyenn Pinas could not believe their eyes when they opened their mailbox. The two alumni of HKU Product Design read that Museum de Fundatie in Zwolle bought their work and will add it to their permanent collection.

Both works were already on display as part of the exhibition ‘Do we care?’ – organised by Museum De Fundatie and HKU. Now they have found a permanent place in the collection. De Kousemaeker is an artist and designer with a strong interest in the relation between humans and nature. This theme is also reflected in this specific work, named Exhale. It is part of a series in which she tries to stimulate more empathy for nature. ‘There’s nothing I’d rather do than spend the whole day outdoors. I am especially fascinated by the underwater world and by mushrooms. For this work, I was inspired by green algae: a type which is also called ‘mermaid’s wine glass because of its umbrella-shaped hood. The artwork moves because of the addition of air, creating a gentle, subtle, hypnotic motion, as if the object were a living organism.

The fact that her art can now be admired in De Fundatie is ‘unreal’ as De Kousemaeker puts it. ‘The fact that a museum wants to buy your work is remarkable in itself, but having it on display directly for 4 months, is the icing on the cake.’

Pinas also hardly believed the news. ‘I had to read the email six times before I realised they seriously wanted to buy my work. Initially I did not want to part with the work, which consists of imprinted scarves, because of the personal stories and meaning behind it. I first had to ask permission from the people whose stories are expressed in the work. Luckily, they were very enthusiastic about the offer and fully agreed.’

Pinas is a multidisciplinary designer and a colourful force. ‘The work is part of the project The Magnitude, and a translation of someone’s identity development and how they themselves reflect on it. This is different for everyone, but unfortunately these personal experiences are often overlooked. I first went searching for my own identity. In my attic, I found old photos and stories that were part of my identity. I found this journey so remarkable that I also wanted to capture other people’s experiences in my art. I started by printing these stories on scarves. In this way, you can carry the story with you, or instead put it in a room where it feels in the right place. Subsequently, I received requests for other objects and started printing little rugs and pillowcases, as well as a clay sculpture and a painted pedestal that I made.’